For the Love of Science, Can We Stop the Chit-Chat on Lavender, Tea Tree, and Man Boobs?! Last week, another ruckus was made proclaiming “new evidence” supported that tea tree and lavender essential oils were capable of hormonal disturbances. (source, source, source, source) I received a few emails asking my take on this latest...
The Mind-Body-Belief Connection: More on the Power of the Placebo (and Nocebo) Effect
Good Expectations, Negative Beliefs, and Their Health Consequences The placebo effect is a phenomenon that occurs when a substance without known medical properties produces a beneficial result in subjects due to their positive expectations of its efficacy. A nocebo effect is when a similarly inert material is used in an intervention and causes...
This One’s for the Boys (and the Women and Partners That Love Them): Male Libido, Hormones, Fertility, and Essential Oils- Part I
Last week, we explored the importance of physical connection and intimacy in relationships. Libido and sex drive are influenced by a variety of interacting factors that are biological, emotional, and psychological. Focusing solely on addressing one aspect, such as hormones or physiological responses, is often just treating one symptom in a complex condition. It...
Libido: The Healthy Relationship-Intimacy-Lifestyle-Essential Oil Connection for Spring Fever
In my series of posts for American Heart Month, we’ve explored that taking care of the physical heart is important, but just one aspect of optimizing our cardiovascular system’s functioning. It is now known that the heart-brain connection and the state of coherence, the synchronization of our physical, mental and emotional systems, has...